A few weeks ago, a tragic accident in Bengaluru claimed two lives when an autorickshaw was crushed between buses. The grieving city simultaneously grapples with worsening issues—crumbling infrastructure, looming water insecurity, and civic paralysis—suggesting a deeper urban decay. These harrowing conditions set the stage for the book Chronicles of a Global City: Speculative Lives and Unsettled Futures in Bengaluru, edited by Vinay Gidwani, Michael Goldman, and Carol Upadhya.
This collection investigates how “speculative urbanism”—a financialised model of city-making—has overtaken public welfare. The book argues that Bengaluru’s administration now acts more like an economic engine than a civic planner, urging residents to see themselves as consumers rather than citizens.
Through interviews with land brokers, developers, workers, and civil society actors, the essays dissect how land is commodified for unchecked profit, often at the expense of the working poor. Tales of exploited gig workers, displaced street vendors, and contradictory land activism paint a city riddled with inequality and contradiction.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), an impending centralized power bloc, is critiqued for its likely alignment with real estate interests over genuine public consultation. Instead, the authors argue for decentralised, coordinated governance prioritising community needs.
Ultimately, it’s Bengaluru’s invisible working class—waste-pickers, maids, vendors—who sustain the city’s fragile balance. The book challenges us to imagine an urban future built on empathy, equity, and inclusive planning rather than speculative profiteering.
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